


Toy soldiers

by RedheadShenanigans



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Military, Banter, Cas hides being an angel from Dean, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, Dean Winchester In Love, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Funny, Lies, Love, M/M, Not What It Looks Like, Sargent Dean, Secret Relationship, Some feels, Swearing, gay in the military, messing with memory, never is, parrot jokes, some weird shit is going to go down, there will be smut eventually, you know me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 21:32:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19304239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedheadShenanigans/pseuds/RedheadShenanigans
Summary: Fate had a plan, God had other ideas and now a civil war brews in Heaven. Cas was sent to protect Dean Winchester and secure God's vision for the human race. Some Angels don't agree and it's causing unrest but Cas won't falter, even as their father abandons him. Even as his family treat him like a traitor and his only friend is a human, Cas will not break.We begin our tale with Cas and his best friend Max in the jungle. Cas joined the Marines to be close to his charge, Dean, who is their mighty leader. Neither the Angels or the Humans would accept how close he and Dean have become, secrets follow them both.Max followed Cas into the military, they've been friends forever but he's having doubts. Why did he leave a promising career in academics to be shot at by snipers again? Maybe it'll come back to him because at the moment his memory is a little fuzzy like some of it is missing.Join Cas, Max and Dean in this Military, secret romance AU as they navigate a celestial civil war.





	Toy soldiers

“Uri,” The call of his tag came over the radio and Cas smiled. It was hugely inappropriate but he couldn’t help it. The smooth, seductive voice threw orders like popcorn at a drive through and it never got dull. The man on the other end was delicious and it had his mind wondering.

“Sir?” He replied.

“Get that mess cleaned up and get your ass back here. This whole thing is turning into one giant shit storm and I want you home. All of you.” Dean signed off and Cas returned the radio to his pack. 

“Dude, stop swooning over the Sarg and get your ass out of that hole,” Max chastised.

Rolling his eyes, Cas smiled at his best friend, apparently, his ass was a hot topic today.

“Could you be any louder?” he scolded out of habit but knowing they were basically alone in the jungle. There was no one for miles in every direction and it was both calming and unnerving. 

“Yeah, the parrots are going to be the ones to out you…” Max chuckled, holding out a strong arm for Cas to leverage against. “Skwak, Gay guys, skwak.” 

Cas raised an eyebrow, “One day you’ll say something and that’ll be it…” 

“I’m surprised you're still alive…” Max added suddenly. At Cas’ confused expression he continued, “It’s ninety-five degrees out here, it must be what, 150 in your closet?”

“Ha, ha...Ass.” Cas’ laughed, it was genuine. He couldn't help it, Max had that way about him. Sarcasm was his natural way of diffusing a tense situation. The military wasn’t too kind to the gay population, it was self-preservation to keep it quiet and joking helped. 

Max turned to him, expression serious, “I wouldn't out you. I know how hard it is for... I get it. I have your back.” Then tugged Cas out of the ditch they’d been hiding in. 

“I know…” he replied with a soft smile, he trusted Max with everything and warmth filled his chest. 

Cas’ golden skin glinted with sweat as he wrestled with his pack. The jungle was green, so green and hot. Everything was wet from the humidity and Cas decided the jungle was not somewhere he wanted to come back to. Though he made that promise every time they were in a jungle. In fact, he preferred the desert missions. It was easier to pretend to be sweaty than it was to be completely soaked, he hated feeling damp. 

“But why the Sarg? I mean you know he’s straight right?” Max enquired as they stood and orientated themselves. The original mission had been compromised. They were supposed to be infiltrating a base but they’d been seen so it was a bust. The last two days had gone from bad to worse and Cas wanted out of this place, he wanted his friend out, as soon as they could. 

“Glory my friend, you have no gaydar...just give it up,” he grinned. 

Max laughed, “I get why and all. I don't have to be gay to appreciate the guys face. I get it, he could be in Playboy...is there a guy version?”

“You damn well know there is,” Cas adjusted his gun strap over his broad shoulder. The heat made all the equipment feel like it was made of lead, he worried for Max. “Come on Morning Glory, I need to get out of this heat and-” A whistle of air cut him off, it was almost silent but Cas heard it. Slamming them both to the dirt floor, he cursed, “Down! We have a sniper.” 

Max grimaced and rolled into the foliage that swamped the forest floor. “I don’t know how you do that but I’m glad you can.”

Cas replied as he glanced up, “It’s saved your butt more than once.”

That’s why they called Cas, Uri. He was their guard and their lucky charm. It became his call sign when they’d enlisted. When the others in their team had asked, Max mentioned Ancient Mesopotamian religious studies. Everyone agreed with it rather than keep him talking. Going on about their years at Harvard typically got that response in their profession. He Pulled himself along and back into the hole he just crawled out of, then steadied Max as he rolled in.

“Shit…” Max started, “Where’s the radio?” 

Cas watched the canopy as the attack got called in and Max was brief so as not to draw more attention to their location.

“That was close. They’re sending in air support but we have to get out of this hole!” Max grabbed his friend's shoulder, “Uri.”

“Yeah, okay. North. Stay low,” Cas replied.

Max nodded, he’d follow Cas anywhere and had. If Cas said North, North is was. The cameo uniform was wet, muddy and starting to itch in some strange places. Thankfully Cas didn’t have to feel it but he felt for Max. It was always painful watching Max scratch himself raw. Lord only knew what state his skin was like underneath all that wet material. He’d rolled up his sleeves like a moron and his arms were red. No matter how well he wrapped himself or slathered on mosquito repellent, he always got bit. Cas didn’t have one bite but that was a given, his kind didn’t get bitten. 

“Damn bites…” Max cursed as he dragged himself across the wet ground. The hole was protection but it would be their grave if they stayed. 

“Move,” Cas growled. Another high pitched whistle flew by. Shit. They shuffled on their stomachs through the undergrowth. Mud, stick's and bugs completed the full sensory experience that was the jungle, never again, he thought. 

“This is why we should have run the other way, but no, I followed your stupid ass.” Max hissed under his breath, “Sure, let's follow Cas on one his mysterious walks through the jungle.” 

“We’re being shot at and you’re moaning about my walks?”

“We’re Marines damn it, we’re not supposed to just fuck off on random walks Uri.”

“I thought you trusted me?” Cas replied. It was almost a whine… almost.

“Fuck, I do, you asshole. Now get us out of here.”

The camp, their base, had been hit ten minutes after they’d left several hours before. The only thing left was debris and smoking logs. 

“We’d be dead and not with the others,” Cas maintained, “We’d be dead and then I’d have to listen to you moan about that too.”

“Ha, you know, that would be a fitting punishment for getting my black ass into the mess in the first place!”

“I told you not to join, I told you not to follow me… it’s been three years, let it go!”

“Never dude. Never,” Max muttered, a faint smile touching his lips. 

The rest of their team had left to scout, that was half an hour before the incursion. Cas was the ranking officer, the one keeping them alive out here in this mess. Max knew Cas was right which is why he was scowling so hard. At the moment he was, yet again, trying to figure out how Cas had known the camp was going to be hit. How he’d known which way to go. Max had been his friend forever and knew he could be, eccentric, sometimes… well psychic for lack of a better word. Military guys were superstitious and as long as he didn't acknowledge it outright Cas could keep saving their asses. Like right now. They crawled through the undergrowth and eventually after several minutes of wet muddy shit, he stood. Max followed and they hiked for a mile before either one spoke. The jungle was beautiful, Cas mused as they walked, it was just… wet.

“Uri…” Max began but his friend was a million miles away, breaking protocol he used his name to grab his attention, “Cas?” 

That did it, he swivelled and smiled tightly. 

“Yeah, Max?” He asked.

“You know where we’re going right?” 

“North.” he turned back and kept on walking. 

“Sometimes you can be so, normal I forget about this side”

“Which side?” Cas asked.

“The stuffy, cryptic-librarian side.”

Cas smiled, the others ignored when this happened, maybe they didn’t notice it? Or they put it down to him being tired? The two sides to his personality that he switched through depending on the minute or the crisis. Uri/Cas, back and forth. One was a chilled out art history major with a penchant for shooting assault rifles and the other was...this. This was the strong silent type. This was the silent, silent type. Super focused, super literal and sometimes just super fucking weird. 

“Uri, man...are we getting out of here?” 

“I need to run an errand,” Cas replied, face unmoving, no trace of the casual, laughing person that had been there only moments ago. 

Max ran a hand over his face. “Friend, we’re in a jungle. What are you talking about?” 

“I’m sorry Max.-

“You need to use my call sign, what is wrong with you today?” Max said rubbing his arms as if cold. 

“Sorry, Glory. Every time we have this conversation it ends the same way. You get mad, or sad, I erase your memory…it’s… tiresome.” 

“You erase my...what?” Max froze and watched Cas walk away. His friend stopped and turned when he realised he wasn't being followed. 

“I like you, Max, I do. You’re my closest friend but you have to come with me. I have to get the scroll before my brothers do or, well, there will be hell to pay, literally.” 

“I don’t-” 

“I know.” Cas sighed and ran a hand round his sweat covered neck. “Here-” 

Max flinched as Cas moved closer with his hand outstretched. 

“I won’t hurt you. You just need to remember.” Cas sighed, this was always the best and worst part. A flash of light and all that lost time came back in a wave. Cas braced Max’s shoulder so he didn’t fall. His friend rocked on the spot as he suddenly recalled whole sections of his life that Cas had made him forget.

“Holy shit.” he sighed holding his head in both hands as if it would roll off any minute. 

“Every time,” Cas laughed dryly. He loved this part, he knew what Max would be going through. The wide-eyed stare and wonder were fun to watch. The memories could be unpredictable as they found their way back to the places they had been pulled from. 

“Cas?” Max looked up at his friend and his eyes filled with tears. Yeah, this was the worst, that sadness, it hurt Cas in his near-human places. Then Max threw his solid body into the Angel's arms. Cas hugged him tight, feeling whole once again. They stayed like that for a full minute until the urgency of the mission took over. This was the joint-first most important person in Cas’ very long life. He always missed him when he didn’t remember like he wasn’t here even though he was. 

“Right, what are we doing?” Max asked, immediately on board with whatever it was. Cas missed him like this. Maybe he could leave it like this for a while? His brothers had backed off, it’d been a year since they’d checked in...maybe. 

“We’re getting the scroll, you know the one with the prophecy? Dean’s role in Armageddon?” 

“The one that was supposed to happen but God stopped it?” 

Cas nodded, “That scroll has to be destroyed. No-one can know Dean’s pre-ordained path. It will put him at risk, more so than he already is.” 

“Cas.” Max asked and he turned, “First things first,” Max held up his arms and Cas laughed. The touch was light and the relief from the bites was immediate as they healed quickly. He was dry and clean in a second and so was Cas. 

“I will never get bored of that my friend,” he laughed then cringed as a memory pushed to the front of his mind. They all came at once but certain ones flashed like a full-colour highlight real. It took a while to settle down but Max was used to it. 

“Max?” Cas prompted.

“Flashback.”

“Ah, which one?”

“You and Dean making out behind the bleachers.” 

Cas nodded, “That one always comes up doesn’t it?” 

“Yeah, don't know why.” Max shrugged. “Dude, I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“Call signs?” Max asked and Cas nodded. “Safer.”

“Where we going?” 

“Three miles that way.” Cas pointed to his left. “We ‘beaming’? Is it safe?”

Cas looked around as if considering it and then nodded. A second later they were in a different section of the jungle in front of a pile of ancient rubble. 

“Angel teleporting is always awesome,” Max whispered as he gazed at their surroundings.

“Glory, this way,” Cas called from a few steps ahead. 

They climbed over ancient rubble while looking for a way in. The brush was hard going, thick vines covered the rocks and that grew along with the moss, it made them slippery. Getting purchase even with their boots was difficult.  
The ruins were amazing. This was Max’ favourite part of being friends with Cas and was Cas’ favourite thing to give his history buff friend. Apart from the instant healing and the teleporting, Max always raved about the places he got to visit. When they’re were doing something ‘celestially oriented’ as Max put it, they always saw something human usually wouldn't. Going to ancient places, seeing the history that people didn’t know existed was amazing to him. This place was Angkorian, it was ancient, like 802 AD ancient. Humans hadn’t stepped foot in this place in a very long time.

“Glory. I can hear you enjoying this from here,” Cas smiled ten feet from him. 

“It’s my thing! I feel so raiders right now!” 

Cas frowned playfully, “That’s the one with the traps, isn’t it? The guy with the hat? India Johnson?”

“Dude, that’s not even funny! You know his name! We’ve watched that movie twelve thousand times!” 

Cas grinned and Max huffed, “Your Angel humour sucks…” 

A flashback kicked in and Max stumbled. Each time Cas brought them back he left a little so Max wouldn't question his sanity. A few blanks couldn’t be helped but Cas tried his best to leave enough that made sense so he didn’t think he was going crazy. They’d had that talk and it wasn’t fun.

“Now how would you know, human?” A deep and melodious voice whispered from behind them. 

“Shit!” Max ducked and rolled away as instinct kicked in.

“Castiel.” The pale red-headed angel smirked. The man wore skin-tight white jeans and blue shirt. He was so thin that the shirt looked almost child sized. 

“Araton,” Cas replied.

“Castiel, your human seems unsurprised at my sudden appearance. Is there something you would like to tell me?” 

“No,” Cas’ face was stern. 

“Then you won’t mind if I kill it and we can continue with why you are on sacred land without an authorisation?”

“Fine.”

Max’s froze, it was a split second of doubt but it hurt. It shouldn’t have, Cas knew that Max was only now settling back into his memories. His trust was still based on human Cas, not angelic Cas. The level of friendship was different, deeper. Angel Cas and Max had been through a lot together and once the memories stuck Max would feel secure. Cas kept his expression cold and impassive, he could see the concern on his friends face but one slip and this would become ten times harder. Araton was a soldier, not as high up as Cas in the angelic ranks but powerful enough to make this difficult. Time was short and they needed inside that tomb now.

Araton lifted his hand, Cas vanished and then time slowed down. Araton’s eyes and mouth were suddenly glowing, a white blazing light. Max turned from it and hid his eyes. The body dropped and Cas stood behind him with his angel blade sliding from Araton’s corpse. 

“Cas…” Max started.

“I’m sorry if I scared you, my friend.” 

Cas vanished again and he was by Max’s side but he jumped a mile and took a few steps backwards. 

“So, not going to kill me?” 

Cas felt wounded and it must have shown on his face. 

“I’m sorry,” Max replied, bashful. 

Cas nodded, “I couldn’t leave him an opening,” He took a step forward, reaching for Max. “I had to agree.” 

Max took a shuddering breath, “Okay.” 

“Okay?” Cas confirmed. 

“Okay.” He moved and embraced his friend, tight. “Just don’t fucking scare me like that again, not this close to a refresh. You’re terrifying like that.” 

Cas caught his gaze and held it then moved slowly to grasp Max’s jaw in his gloved hand. 

“I would never hurt you, Maxy. Not ever.” A single tear slid down Cas cheek, the human side breaking free at the thought of his friend ever being afraid of him.

“Hey, no. Don't do that. We’re in a jungle for fuck's sake, all macho and shit. We have guns! Come on you’re ruining my strong hetero vibe here.” 

Cas smiled and wiped his face, “You always ruin the moment.” 

“I’m just glad I’m not your type, that could have been weird…” 

Cas laughed sincerely this time with real mirth from his gut.

“Will they come looking for him?” Max asked turning to the ruins.

Looking over his shoulder at the corpse, Cas ignited it. The fire was golden and swift, the body was consumed in seconds. 

“Yes, but it will be a mystery to them. They’ll assume its Demons.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yes. Now we need to go,” Cas replied as he strode off. 

The door to the forgotten city was hidden in the side of a huge elephant statue. It’s back right leg opened into a descending staircase made of ancient and crumbling stone.

“Cas? What did he mean by Holy ground?” Max asked while he followed the white glow that Cas was creating. It lit the way down the dark steps making it easier to see. 

“This place was the location of Eden.” 

Mas froze, “Like, Adam and Eve?”

“Yes.” 

“That’s amazing, I can feel the history seeping into my skin… though it could just be some ancient flu from the dust down here. It’s probably history… Yeah, probably,” Max scratched his arms which made Cas smile.

The stairs were dry, the tomb had been air locked but their decent was slow and careful.

“Cas?”

“Yes, Max.” 

“Why aren’t we, you know, teleporting?” 

“Because this place is heavily guarded and I can't risk using my powers inside and being detected.” 

Max shoved his rifle behind him, knowing nothing in this place would be hurt by bullets. Nothing should be down here but if it was Max had to fully rely on Cas to protect him. 

“So how far are we talking?” Max asked.

“I’m not sure.” 

“Cas, some of us need to breathe air and I can’t imagine there’s an abundance of it down here…”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” he didn't elaborate. 

“I hope not halo boy because it’ll be a really big problem… you know, for me, the breathing human?”

Cas turned at the nickname, “You haven't called me that in a long time.” 

Max grinned, “Yeah well, you scared the shit outta me up there so I’m revisiting some old favourites.”

The Angel kept walking without comment, Cas had hated the last year. He’d had to deal with the Dean stuff all by himself with no sounding board. He wasn’t human, how was he supposed to navigate human relationships without help? 

“It’s pitch black outside your light ball thing. Typical, I visit the oldest place on earth and I can’t even see it. I'm going to turn my torch-” 

Voices. 

They stopped, all mirth extinguished along with Cas’ light.

“No one is supposed to know this is here right?” Max whispered.

Cas nodded, a scowl quickly following. 

“They knew the land was here but not the tomb or what it contained because of warding.” Cas whispered, “No one should care, it’s been lost for an age.”

They moved quietly around the corner and at further noise from the dark were assured they definitely were not alone. Two people, a man and a woman stood across the cavernous space. They had a light so were easy to see. Dressed in full paramilitary gear, all black, with guns out they were scouting the chamber. 

“Tango Two, we’re in.” The woman said.

Max and Cas defaulted to Marine mode. Cas glanced at Max who touched his head and then nodded. Time for a distraction, Max fired his gun and the intruders ducked. 

“We’re taking fire! Stand by.” The woman called into her headpiece.

Max ran and fired, distracting the couple. As soon as they faced him, Cas ran behind and grab their shoulders, they dropped like rocks. Max put his finger to his lip and tore their cameras and electronics off, then smashed them. 

“Memory wiped?” 

“Yes, removed not blocked. They won’t be able to recover them,” Cas confirmed.

“Did you get any info while you were in there?” Max asked.

“They’re Men of Letters. Though how they found this place let alone got in is a mystery…”

Frowning, Max refocused, “Right… how do we find this scrolling thing?”

“This way,” Cas said as he crossed the cavern to a set of stairs. It was pitch black and Max pulled his flashlight out now he knew they were not alone. Cas was vigilant, more so than before. The steps continued on the other side, then sloped upwards and to the right. It was an interesting design, there were small hidden places where people could hide and attack. Thankfully, there was no one waiting for them in the wings. The steps were wide and made to keep you at an uncomfortable gait. Cas led and Max brought up the rear, they were silent as they walked. Several minutes passed and eventually the stairs levelled out onto a landing. Cas grabbed Max’s shoulder as he walked backwards. His friend looked over, his eyes going wide, the drop was sheer and at least a hundred feet down. 

“Holy shit,” Max whispered. 

Cas turned and looked around. He hadn’t been here for several thousand years, it looked different. If he was correct, they were in the main chamber now and the spell would work. The words were in Enochian, Max knew what was being said and his eyes followed Cas’. A flashed blinded them both momentarily as light filled the ceiling of the rock cavern. 

“Wow.” 

Max was right, it was spectacular. His brothers had spent decades engraving the lighting runes into the rock. It showed the pedestal in the centre of the deep, black hole. The scroll shined with a golden hue as it lay on the red marble altar. 

“There,” Cas whispered. 

“Right, how are you getting over there?”

“Fly.”

Max scowled, “I thought you couldn’t fly?”

“No, I said we’d be detected.”

His friend looked at him as if he had lost his angelic marbles. 

“We will be, detected. So, we go over, grab it and leave.”

“Right.” Max said with false bravado, “…you can be that fast?”

Cas nodded but his expression was wary.

“Cas?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“How sure?”

“Eighty per cent,” he replied with a frown.

“That’s pretty sure,” Max glanced at the drop again, “It better be sure enough. Come on let's go.”

Cas placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and blink them out. They grazed the pedestal and lifted the scroll then landed in a heap. They were an entire country over from where they had been. It was still jungle but they shouldn’t be traced this far out. 

“Max?”

“Yeah, Cas?”

“Can you roll off me please?” He grunted.

Max groaned, “When you heal me, yeah, sure. I think you broke my everything” 

Cas concentrated, Max had massive bruising. He’d been flying faster than he’d thought and apologised, “Sorry.” 

The athletic man rolled onto the dirt floor and sighed, “Let’s not do that again, ever.”

“Yeah,” Cas replied as he stood.

“Right, what do we do with the scroll?”

“Burn it.”

“Awesome. Can I make smores?”

Cas laughed, “Sure if you want them to melt your insides. I’m using Holy fire.”

Max cringed at the thought, “So, I’m going with no.”

Taking out a small vial, Cas poured Holy oil on what could be the worlds oldest piece of parchment. Max watched his every move.

“This is killing you isn’t it?” Cas asked.

“A little, yeah.”

Cas could tell it was causing him physical pain and it became worse as he lit the oil. The parchment burned slowly, it had been designed to survive in a dark, damp place, to stand against time herself. It would be a while before it was nothing but very blessed ashes. 

“Do you really have to burn it?” Maxed asked, a whine leaking through his tough soldier exterior.

Cas frowned, “Yes.” 

“How old is that thing?”

Grimacing at his friends' frown Cas replied, “As old as I am.” And Max was physically distressed by the news. 

“Sorry Maxy, it’s not worth the risk.”

“What does it say anyway?”

“That Dean was chosen to lead as Micheal’s vessel in the war against the demons. A future that will never come true as long as I exist.”

“Good stuff, I really don’t like the sound of an Apocalypse.”

Cas laughed, “You are the master of understatement you know that?”

Max shrugged and adjusted his pack, “Er Cas?” he started as he watched the scroll burn.

“Yeah.”

“The radio got a little, broken.”

Cas glanced over as Max lifted the fragments of broken plastic from the pack, it was shattered. Oh, Dean was going to be livid. 

“Sarg will be pissed.” Max voiced his thought as he put the pieces inside the pack. 

“He’s going to be pissed anyway, we’ve been out of contact for two hours.”

Max cringed, “Can you make sure he doesn’t take it out on me this time? I mean I love running laps, I do but three days was a little excessive. And it wasn’t even my fault we got trapped by those insurgents, it was yours.”

Laughing, Cas let the ash of the scroll fall to the floor, “I think I’m going to tell him you know. I’m tired of hiding.”

“Are you sure?” Max’s eye went wide. 

“Yes.” Cas nodded, “It’s time.”

“Okay,” Max didn’t seem convinced. Cas started walking south towards the nearest village, there would be a radio they could call from there.

Cas had considered telling Dean everything over and over but as with Max, it was simply too dangerous. Dean was under observation, Heaven was very interested in keeping an eye on him. While them figuring out Max knew would get Cas a firm talking to and Max dead, telling Dean that Angels existed… that would get Cas dead. But, he was so tired of hiding. 

“We’re walking?” Max asked incredulously. 

Cas glared at him, “We’ve supposedly been in the jungle for days. We’re in another country than only a few hours ago and you look like you just returned from a day spa. Yes, we’re walking the ten miles back unless you want to raise some eyebrows? Again.”

“Hey! I didn’t ask for a makeover!” 

Cas rolled his eyes, “You know, you’re so ungrateful, human.”

“Yeah, ungrateful for the memory loss, the internal haemorrhaging, the being in the military! So much to be grateful for, yep where to start?”

Cas felt every word hit him right in the chest cavity and fell silent.

“Cas, dude I’m joking… you know that right? Sure, I’d prefer tenure and who wouldn't want to go into work knowing the likelihood of being shot was minimal? But I chose this, I chose you and your mission.”

Nodding unconvincingly, Cas turned away and Max grabbed his shoulder, “Cas, you’re my best friend. My life might be hard sometimes but it’s hella more interesting with you in it, I wouldn’t change it.”

Smiling, Cas walked on, a little taller than a moment ago. He worried and regretted telling Max all the time. He considered simply wiping his memory for good and letting him live a different life but he was too selfish for that. He needed a friend, someone who knew everything about him and Max was that for him and always would be. They walked the miles and filled them with idle chatter. Max was explaining the finer points of baseball, Cas really didn’t care but Max did and so he listened. They arrived at the village around twilight. Once again they looked like they’d been in the jungle for days. Max moaned at length about the mosquito bites and how it wouldn’t be suspicious at all if he was bite-free. 

“Right, the last time we were anywhere like this they ate you, Sarg. won’t be at all suspicious.”

Max huffed, “Fine, but I want them healed the next day Cas, I mean it!”

“Yes, Max.”

“Don’t yes Max me, yes Max… I swear one day I will kick your feathered ass.”

Cas laughed as they passed a small store, they should have a satellite phone. This is why Cas left Max in charge of recon and prep, he knew where the tech was in case something went wrong. Cas could speak every language on earth so when he spoke the local dialect the shopkeeper was very accommodating. Cas dilled Dean and braced himself. 

“Novak!”

“Sir?” Cas replied calmly.

“What the hell?!”

“Sir?”

Dean coughed past his concern and adjusted his tone, “Where are you, soldier?”

Cas gave the coordinates, “We developed a communication issue.”

“I’m not going to ask why you’re so far away from where you should be, I assume it will be an interesting story. Equipment malfunction?”

Cas smiled, “You could say that, it is defiantly not working.”

He could practically hear Dean face-palming as he imagined what had happened to their radio, “I’ll send in the team.” 

“Yes, sir.”

“Pick up in three hours.” He growled, “And Cas, do not move.”

“Yes sir,” he replied with a smile.

Dean hung up, thank god, the temptation to be inappropriate was overwhelming. He was likely in mission control back in Kansas and they would be recording everything. Dean couldn’t afford to be outed. 

“Sarg is pissed huh?”

Cas frowned.

“You have that shit eating grin on your face which says makeup sex is imminent,” Max laughed.

“There is no way you know me that well… maybe I need to get a new human friend. One that is less observant.”

Max grinned, “Then who would get your ass out of these stupid situations?”

“My new, less observant human friend. Maybe I’ll get a less sarcastic one too.”

Max was mock horrified, “Fine! I’ll get a new winged friend, maybe a parrot.”

“Did you just compare an Angel of the lord, an ancient and complex wave of celestial intent, to a bird?” Cas glared with his eyebrow raised.

“Maybe and you’d deserve it too,” Max chastised with mock seriousness.

They walked to the location of the drop, it was hard due to the overgrowth and the growing dark. They turned on their flashlights as they trekked, keeping it human was the only choice they had right now.

“I’d call him George.” Max suddenly interrupted their silent walk, “He’d be one of those fancy multicoloured ones with the big, bright feathers. A Macaw I think, yeah and I’d train him to say ‘My name is George, I’m better than Castiel.’”

“Subtle.” Cas laughed, “Very subtle.”

“I thought so.”

A loud whir interrupted their jokes, “Glory, Incoming.” Cas advised. The chopper roared as it set down in the only clearing for miles around. They ran for it and jumped in. 

“Marine.” Cas nodded at his third in command. 

“Sir.” The tall man replied.

Cas was anxious and excited. Max had been right, he did love makeup sex. Annoyingly they had to fight first and he hated fighting with Dean. It became very loud in the chopper as it lifted from the floor and they held on for dear life. It rose through the sky and towards the nearest military base as the sunset on the horizon. Time to go home.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this, it's been in my folder for a while but I've been reluctant to let it out. It's a WIP, so updates depend on your responses! If you liked it let me know! As always, any issues please tell me I'm not perfect and neither is Grammarly. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, follow me on tumblr or twitter:  
> https://redheadshenanigans.tumblr.com/  
> https://twitter.com/RedShenanigans


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